Will Japan wow the world with technology or fall flat trying?
The last time that the Olympic Games were held in Tokyo was in 1964. These games served as an important moment for Japan. By showcasing technological advancements like more precise timekeeping systems, LCD screens, and a new high-speed bullet train system, Japan showed that it had not just recovered from World War II, it had reemerged as a global power. However, nearly 60 years later, Japan is in a very different situation. Its population is declining and development of new and exciting technologies have become commonplace all around the world. Nevertheless, Japan is still determined to use the upcoming games as a way to impress the world through science and technology. “Our vision for the 2020 Games includes an aspiration to make them the most innovative in history,” says Masa Takaya, spokesperson for Tokyo 2020.
But what exactly are we expecting to see this time around? Masanori Matsushima, who manages Panasonic’s Olympics department, claims that even as soon as people are getting off the planes in Tokyo, they will see new technology. He has talked about multilingual robots that can help travelers get around. Further, the company has also announced that they will be providing Power Assist Suit exoskeletons. These will be used to help workers lift heavy items with relative ease.
Of course, with the huge influx of non-Japanese-speaking visitors that will be in Japan during the games, one of the main concerns is communication. This is why plans are being made to make a system that can translate from voice to text seamlessly, thus allowing for more efficient translation and facilitating interactions.
Japan’s national public broadcaster, NHK, is also hoping to wow viewers with technological advancements, having announced that they will be broadcasting the Games in 8K resolution. Work on cameras, displays, and broadcasting systems are all underway, so as to ensure NHK’s 8K broadcasts all go off without a hitch.
Plans are also underway so as to have self-driving cars and buses be highly visible during Tokyo 2020. They will be used to shuttle people back and forth between designated locations. This even includes self-driving taxis for people who do not want to wait for a bus. They are also hoping to showcase environmentally friendly cars, such as ones that utilize hydrogen as fuel. This can help to reduce the amount of carbon that many cars release into the air, thus helping to reduce the environmental impact that each car has. “The idea is to show that hydrogen vehicles can be part of everyone’s life and that people take that away from the Games,” says a spokesperson for Toyota.
So it seems as if the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games are turning out to be one to remember. While it is unclear if they will be able to surpass the wow factor that they achieved in 1964, they are certainly getting close in the amount of technological innovations they plan on unveiling.
Image: Tokyo2020.org
